A Guide to Neuroethics Research Proposals at NIH

Before joining the Dana Foundation in early 2022, I worked at the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), one of 27 institutes and centers that comprise NIH. During that time, I also co-chaired the neuroethics program team for the NIH BRAIN Initiative, a thriving program that included dedicated solicitations for neuroethics research proposals.

Much has changed since then, including how NIH solicits and reviews applications, leaving many researchers wondering how to seek funding for neuroethics or neuroscience and society research. There are no longer dedicated solicitations for neuroethics proposals, nor ad hoc special emphasis panels (SEPs) to review those proposals.

Based on my understanding of how NIH currently operates, here are several tips navigating the application process under the current system.

• There is currently a ‘highlighted topic’ focused on bioethics research, active through January 12, 2028. For those who are unfamiliar, an NIH highlighted topic is a centralized, official NIH communication tool that identifies specific, emerging, or high-priority research areas where the NIH encourages investigator-initiated applications.
• As noted on the NIH page, this topic aims to advance bioethics research projects that are actionable, build trust, and enable better integration of bioethical principles into biomedical and behavioral research.
• Relevant to the neuroethics or neuroscience and society research community, ICOs (institutes, centers, and offices) that have signed on to this highlighted topic include BRAIN, NINDS, and the National Institute of Mental Health. There are other ICOs signed on as well that might be relevant to interested researchers. Across these participating ICOs, there is expressed interest in proposals that address, for instance:
  • Ethical and social implications of broad access to emerging neurotechnologies in research and clinical settings and subsequent long-term obligations to patient populations (BRAIN Initiative)
  • Research on ethical frameworks that enhance autonomy and protect the rights of older adults in research studies (National Institute on Aging)
  • Responsible use of data related to substance use and informing data analysis (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Predictive/diagnostic research related to brain disorders (NINDS)
• When applying via a highlighted topic, the applicant must choose which parent mechanism to use and apply through that mechanism’s parent funding announcement.
• The R01 and R21 are likely to be the easiest parent mechanisms to aim for, but applicants should choose whichever mechanism best fits their idea. A full list of parent funding announcements is available here.
• When submitting an application, applicants should consider the following suggestions to align with the language of the highlighted topic, and to alert program staff to your application:
  • Include a cover letter.
  • In the cover letter, request assignment to a particular ICO (e.g., NINDS) and a particular study section for review (more on that below).
  • Include the title of the highlighted topic somewhere in your specific aims.
  • Consider using the language in the highlighted topic to inform how you frame your application. More specifically, based on which ICO you are targeting, note whether it has bullets within the highlighted topic indicating specific areas of interest.
  • Send an email to the relevant program officer notifying them that you have applied. Ideally, you would have been in communication with this person about your application well in advance of your submission—remember, connecting with applicants is a key part of a program officer’s job! In the bioethics highlighted topic linked above, you can find contact information for relevant program staff at each participating ICO.
• Regarding peer review, it is no longer the case that ICOs are organizing ad hoc special emphasis panels to review neuroethics applications.
• Instead, the vast majority of applications are being reviewed in the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR). There is a standing CSR study section (technically, a continuous special emphasis panel on Societal and Ethical Issues in Research (SEIR) which reviews the bulk of bioethics applications at NIH. This centralization of review to CSR means that neuroethics proposals are reviewed alongside other broader bioethics proposals, and multiple kinds of mechanisms are reviewed in the same session (e.g., R01, R21). The SEIR website describes the topics within scope of this study section, and helpfully also discusses shared interests with other study sections that might be a better fit for your application (remember that in your cover letter, you can request review in a specific study section).
• One last tip is to say “Yes” if you are asked to serve on a study section as a reviewer, as this is a valuable opportunity to see firsthand how applications are assessed by your peers.

I hope these points are helpful to anyone interested in applying to the NIH for funding to support neuroethics or neuroscience and society research. It is our hope that applicants will successfully compete for this funding from NIH, strengthening the base of support for the neuroscience and society community.